MovieChat Forums > Brazil (1985) Discussion > "Brazil" is just like LIVING in Brazil

"Brazil" is just like LIVING in Brazil

posted 8 years ago by Ricardo-36
5 replies | jump to latest

I know this was probably a coincidence, due to the fact that Terry Gilliam was probably unfamiliar with the country in the early 80s, did not think about doing a movie as a society critique of a south american country unknown to most people, and the movie title's come from the song. But I cannot help but draw inumerable parallels between life in Brazil and the movie "Brazil", to the point where the actual movie is very, very close to what life feels like for middle class Brazillians.

* The dystopian clash of architectures and little-to-no urban planning in almost all cities.

* The kafkaesque burocracy created by an incompetent, corrupt and power-hungry government to (attempt to) keep a tight control over the population and keep the bureacrats and public servants on their payroll.

* The rapant corruption and nepotism. The graphic violence contrasting the silly, childlike people.

* The plastic surgeries, the constant worry about image and saving face, the appearances above the rotten content.

* The distance between the upper class and the ever so present ultra-violence (waiters covering the explosion victims, people not caring).

* The Orewllian tyranical government run in a naive, almost merry mood (the police not being cold soldiers but morons doing their so called job).

* The futile resistance of those who see beyond the scheme of things, being engulfed by the system.

* The shared dream of being someplace else, of escaping this hell.

* People humming this dream-like song ("Aquarela do Brazil") as if it represented an actual paradise - hiding from the truth.

* The incompetent public servants, the workers who take every chance to stop working and have a tiny bit of fun.

* People's lifes ruined by the government. Wrongful accusations, blame shifting.

* People's escape through television.

To those planning to visit our country, either during the "Olympic Games" (and I use this term with caution, you'll see what I mean), or during any other time: change your plans. Don't go. You'll be sorry.

"You keep him in here, and make sure HE doesn't leave!"

[–] faornelas 8 years ago

My friend, the things you point out could pretty much describe any big metropolis anywhere..
Please, do not embarass us and yourself in front of the entire world.
Instead of discouraging people from coming to Brazil, why don't you buy a ticket to wherever you want and just leave the country?

[–] Ricardo-36 8 years ago

Because there is such a thing as immigration laws. If you have lived or worked abroad, as I have, you will realize we are in the wrong side of society and civilization. Brazil is hell on Earth, and refusing to admit so is denying the obvious.

I am trying to get out of here, though. I'll let you know.

"You keep him in here, and make sure HE doesn't leave!"

[–] faornelas 8 years ago

I have already lived abroad, in the USA, and although I enjoyed the experience, I wouldn't leave Brazil anyway.
But I wish you good luck, if that is what you really want. Just don't keep saying such things about your homeland, amigo. :-)

By the way, The olympic Games in Rio were a great success, everything worked fine and most athletes left the country with very good memories and a great desire to come back soon.
Except, of course, for a certain American swimmer named Ryan Lochte...

[–] alex_nox2 8 years ago

As a Brazilian myself, I also found the unintentional similarity to Brazilian reality during the Military Dictatorship uncanny ? specially considering it was released in 1985, when Brazil was at the verge of coming out of it (the first civillian president in 22 years rose to power exactly in 1985, and the first democratically elected president after that period in 1990, after the promulgation of the Constitution of 1988).
The pharaonic aspect of Brazilian so-called Intelligence (represented by the Natonal Information Service in reality and the Ministry of Information in the film); the kidnapping, torturing and sometimes "accidental" killing of political so-called criminals without trial; the information mismatch especially to the public, in order to cover up mistakes made by the government; the Kafkian bureaucracy which hazarded especially relatives of political persecutées (but not only them); the media censorship and control; the fabrication of "terrorism" impinged on political dissidents so that the population's fear would support and maintain the government in power; the idle ignorance of the middle class, who turned a blind eye to violence and atrocities... The list of coincidences is endless.
Yes, it might be general characteristics to authoritarian and totalitarian governments throught 20th Century (the film even states that it takes place "somewhere i the Twentieth Century"), but if you study the History of this period deeply and analise the films' details, you will find that is much closer to this than any other dictatorship throughout History (nazism and fascism, for instance).
Unfortunately, some of these aspects might still survive today, even in a so-called democratic regime; however, I find it relates much more to this specific period of time than to contemporary Brazil.
As for running away and living in another country, I'd rather stay and fight to change whatever is still wrong, specially because now we have a chance to do so.

[–] faornelas 8 years ago

Well put, Alex. As director Terry Gillian said himself, the name Brazil was picked just because of the song Aquarela do Brasil, which he didn't even know before he heard by chance once. So, although it may have some similarities with Brazil, the country, specially regarding the aspect of burocracy, so it does with any other capilistic country in the 20th Century.